2 Post Lift Damage!

[steve2006]

2 post lifts are now a popular way to raise a vehicle safely from the ground to allow work under earth to be conducted. The lift has 2 adjustable arms each side to suit the majority of vehicles. The actual contact points of the lift should match the jacking points on the vehicle which of course are designed to be structurally built to do so without damage.

Unfortunately I have recently discovered damage to both my company Vauxhall Vivaro van after it was main dealer serviced and even worse my Celsior after it’s last MOT.

As can be seen from the photographs the sill lips have been crushed at all four contact points of the lifting arms, in the case of my own car I know this has only happened whilst at the garage because it is the only time it has been in the air and I always use a trolley jack under the chassis rails not the sills.

Fortunately in both cases there is no structural damage as a result but the metal on both is distorted and crushed.

The damage may not be obvious initially being so low down under the vehicle, the van damage was seen from  distance as I was walking towards it in a car park prompting further investigation and the car damage was only seen when I decided to remove the sill cladding for cleaning and rust proofing.

To have one vehicle damaged could be put down to human error or lack of product use training but to have 2 suggests these lifts are causing repeated damage.

 

 

[Bluesman]

That's outrageous. Your going to have a battle on your hands getting them to own up.

Its good they damaged both cars as you can point to that as further evidence of their appalling customer service.

Good luck with it.

[steve2006]

13 minutes ago, Bluesman said:

That's outrageous. Your going to have a battle on your hands getting them to own up.

Its good they damaged both cars as you can point to that as further evidence of their appalling customer service.

Good luck with it.

Two different garages Mike, van goes to Vauxhall the car to my local garage.

My main concern is how many more vehicles have been damaged in the same way and not noticed?

[Bluesman]

2 hours ago, steve2006 said:

Two different garages Mike, van goes to Vauxhall the car to my local garage.

My main concern is how many more vehicles have been damaged in the same way and not noticed?

I don't envy your position. Why cant people do a proper job without adding damage and hassle like this.

Good luck with it.

[Texas]

The ends of these 2-Post lift Arms have rubber faced pads that can be adjusted by screwing them in/out equating to down/up, so it is upto the operator to ensure that these pads make contact with the lifting points and actually start to lift the vehicle before the arms of the post lift make contact with the vehicle elsewhere ( sills !  ) 

Basic I know but you now have evidence that they have not been used correctly! And sadly yours will not be the only vehicle damaged by these, let's call them incompetent's but how many owners are gonna know?

MOT assigned lifts should have an owners viewing area, so if this happened in front of you then hey 'Guilty as charged and no more questions your honor! " But if you ain't there then they are gonna deny it down to the ground!

 

[Martin F]

Makes you wonder if somebody has been trying to lift directly on the sills without using some sort of slotted adapter.

Regardless is poor workmanship and I would be even more ****** off that they didn’t tell me about it. 😤

[Jayw13702]

30 years ago I worked in a dealership, we were having 2 posts ramps fitted at to replace all our old 4 posters.

We were told explicitly do not jack on the sill jacking points, we were to put the pads on chassis legs or structural crossmembers. Reason for this was a jacking point can take the weight of one wheel off the ground but may not be able to handle to full weight of a vehicle, even though it is one of 4 contact points.

In both of these instances that looks like the garage isn't taking care with your vehicles

 

[Bob King]

A competent mechanic should take the time to look under the car and find the best position...sound like they couldn’t be bother and will not get your business again !

[J88TEO]

I found some damage to the sills on my GS300 recently while working inder the car. The lip of the sills were crushed. An adjustable spanner and brute force did the job of straightening them. So either trolley jacks or 2 post lifts were the culprit.